“If you are truly concerned with your health and genuinely want to care for your body, you are missing a major if not critical opportunity to satisfy these concerns if you fail to learn how to breathe properly and effectively.” Aaron Hoopes in Breathe Smart: The Secret to Happiness, Health and Long Life

“When the Breath wanders, the mind is unsteady, but when the Breath is still, so is the mind still." Hatha Yoga Pradipika

The art of breathing

Breathing is life. It is one of our most vital functions. In a yogic point of view, proper breathing is to bring more oxygen to the blood and to the brain, and to control prana or the vital life energy. Pranayama also goes hand in hand with the asana or movement, poses. The union of pranayama and asana considered as the highest form of purification and self-discipline, covering both mind and body.

Mindfulness breathing or conscious breathing and the practice of yogic breathing techniques consciously controls the flow of breath, and thus enhances the flow of energy in the body. A regular, balanced pranayama practice increases prana, thereby inviting greater mental clarity, heightened healing potential and deeper self-understanding. Pranayama, like other yogic practices, is about being more fully alive and well, and is particularly helpful in the preparation for meditation.

What is yoga breathing?

Yoga breathing, or pranayama, is the science of breath control and the art of extension of life energy. It consists of series of exercises especially intended to meet the body's needs and keep it in vibrant health.

In our respiration process, we breathe in or inhale oxygen into our body, going through our body systems in a form of energy to charge our different body parts. Then we exhale carbon dioxide and take away all toxic wastes from our body. Through the practice of pranayama, the balance of oxygen and carbon dioxide is attained. Absorbing prana through breath control links our body, mind, and spirit.

But life is full of stress. Because of the daily work, family, or financial pressures, we tend to ignore our breathing. Thus, it tends to be fast and shallow. The use of only a fraction of your lungs results to lack of oxygen and may lead to different complications. Heart diseases, sleep disorders, and fatigue are some of the effects of oxygen starvation. Therefore, the negative energy of being restless and troublesome leads to lesser prana inside the body. By practicing deep and systematic breathing through pranayama, we reenergize our body.

Benefits of pranayama

Pranayama teaches us the proper way to breathe. We became used to breathing from our chest, using only a fraction of the lungs, not knowing that this unhealthy and unnatural way of inhaling may lead to several complications. With yoga breathing, we increase the capacity of our lungs, bringing more oxygen supply to the body to function well. We learn how to breathe slowly and deeply - the right way.

• Pranayama reduces the toxins and body wastes from within our body. It prevents one from acquiring diseases.

• Pranayama helps in one's digestion. With the proper way of breathing, one's metabolism and health condition will start to improve.

• Pranayama develops our concentration and focus. It fights away stress and relaxes the body. Controlling one's breathing also results to serenity and peace of mind.

• Pranayama offers a better self-control. Through concentration, one can better handle temper and reactions. Mind can function clearly, avoiding arguments and wrong

decisions. Moreover, self-control also involves control over one's physical body.

• Pranayama leads to spiritual journey through a relaxed body and mind.

However, pranayama should not be forced and done without proper preparation, or it may lead to nervous breakdowns. It is part of a process in yoga. Breath control is a spiritual practice of cleansing the mind and body which should be done appropriately and with proper guidance and preparation.

The importance of breathing

Pranayama or breathing exercise promotes proper breathing. The yogis realized the importance of an adequate oxygen supply thousands of years ago that is why they developed and perfected various breathing techniques that will help to revitalize the mind and the body. The science of breath control consist a series of exercises intended to meet these needs and to keep the body in vibrant health. Proper breathing in a yogic point of view is to bring more oxygen to the blood and to the brain, and to control prana or the vital life energy. These techniques have also proved to help the prevention of major diseases and cure minor illnesses. Breathing is important for two basic reasons: It is the only means of supplying our bodies and its various organs with oxygen which is vital for our health. Breathing is one of the most efficient ways to get rid of waste products and toxins from our body.

Why oxygen is so vital?

• Oxygen is the most vital nutrient in our bodies.

• It is essential for the proper and efficient functioning of the brain, nerves, glands and other internal organs.

• We can survive without food for weeks and without water for days, but without oxygen we will die within a few minutes.

• If the brain does not get proper supply of this essential nutrient, it will cause degradation of all the vital organs of the body.

• The brain requires more oxygen than any other organ. If it doesn't get enough, the result is mental sluggishness, negative thoughts, depression and, eventually, vision and

hearing declines. Oxygen supply in our body, however, declines as we get older and if we live a poor lifestyle.

Oxygen purifies the blood stream

One of the major secrets of energy and rejuvenation is a purified blood stream. The quickest and most effective way to purify the blood stream is by taking in extra supplies of oxygen from the air we breathe. Breathing exercises described are the most effective methods ever devised for saturating the blood with extra oxygen. So here are a few things about what oxygen do to our body:

• Oxygen recharges the body's batteries (the solar plexus).

• Most of our energy requirements come, not from food, but from the air we breathe.

• By purifying the blood stream, every part of the body benefits, as well as the mind.

• Rejuvenation of the skin will start to occur.

• Arterial Disease van be reversed by infusing oxygen into the diseased arteries.

• Scientists have discovered that the chemical basis of energy production in the body is a chemical called Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP). If something goes wrong with the

production of ATP, the result is lowered vitality, disease and premature aging. Scientists have also discovered that oxygen is critical for the production of ATP; it is in fact its

most vital component. Yoga permits us to tap into this vital nutrient.

Importance of healthy breathing

We know how to breathe. It is something that occurs automatically, spontaneously, and naturally. We are breathing even when we are not aware of it. So it seems foolish to think that one can be told how to breathe. Yet, one's breathing becomes modified and restricted in various ways, not just momentarily but habitually. We develop unhealthy habits without being aware of it. For example:

• We tend to assume positions such as slouching that diminishes lung capacity to function properly, which result to shortened breaths.

• We also live in social conditions that are not good for the health of our respiratory system.

• A normally sedentary person, when confronted with a perplexing problem, tends to lean forward, draw his arms together, and bend his head down. All these body postures

result to reduced lung capacity. However, we also tend to have some bad habits that affect our breathing and here are a few reasons.

• As our duties, responsibilities and their attendant problems become more demanding; we develop habits of forgetting to breathe.

The more we concentrate on something, the tenser the muscles become. This leads to the contraction of the muscles in your arms, neck and chest. The muscles that move the thorax and control inhalation and muscular tenseness clamp down and restrict the exhalation. The breaths become shorter and shorter. After an extended period of intense focusing, the whole system seems to be frozen in a certain posture. We become fatigued from the decreased circulation of blood and from the decreased availability of oxygen for the blood because we have almost stopped breathing. Try an experiment suggested by Swami Vishnudevananda: Focus attention upon the ticks of a clock placed at a distance of about twelve feet. If you get distracted, try concentrating harder until you experience the ticking with undivided attention. If you fail at first, you should try again and again until you succeed in keeping the ticking clearly in mind for at least a few seconds. What happened? The majority of persons who took part in this experiment reported that they have completely suspended the breath. The others, who concentrated less, reported that they experienced very slow breathing. This experiment shows clearly that where there is concentration of the mind, the breathing becomes very slow or even gets suspended temporarily.

What's wrong with the way we breathe?

Our breathing is too shallow and too quick. We are not taking in sufficient oxygen and we are not eliminating sufficient carbon dioxide. As a result, our bodies are oxygen starved and a toxic build-up occurs. Every cell in the body requires oxygen and our level of vitality is just a product of the health of all the cells. Shallow breathing does not exercise the lungs enough, so they lose some of their function, causing a further reduction in vitality. Animals which breathe slowly live the longest; the elephant is a good example. We need to breathe more slowly and deeply. Quick shallow breathing results in oxygen starvation which leads to reduced vitality, premature ageing, poor immune system and a myriad of other factors.

Why is our breath fast and shallow?

There are several reasons why our breath becomes fast and shallow. The major reasons are:

• We are in a hurry most of the time. Our movements and breathing follow this pattern.

• The increasing stress of modern living makes us breathe more quickly and less deeply.

• We get too emotional too easily.

• We get easily excited or angry, and most of the time, we suffer from anxiety due to worry.

These negative emotional states affect the rate of breathing, causing it to be fast and shallow. On the other hand here are some other reasons due to unknown wrong breathing habit:

• Modern technology and automation reduces our need for physical activity. There is less need to breathe deeply, so we develop the shallow breathing habit.

• We are working indoors more and more. This increases our exposure to pollution. As a result, the body instinctively inhales less air to protect itself from pollution.

• The body just takes in enough air to tick over.

As we go through life, these bad breathing habits we picked up become part of our lives. Unless we do something to reverse these habits, we can suffer permanent problems. The good news is that these are reversible. The bad news is that before we can change these habits, we should recognize and accept that our behavior needs to be changed. This means that we see for ourselves the benefits of good breathing techniques.

Certainly, yoga is not the only way to cope with stress and the resultant drop of oxygen supply in the brain brought on by constricted breathing. Smoking, taking a coffee break, going to the restroom or a good laugh may all result into some readjustment of constricted breathing patterns. These can be thought of as "mini yoga", we can benefit by taking or seeking more breaks, trips or jokes. But people whose occupations continue to be highly stressful, something more will be needed. Deep breathing exercises and stretching of muscles, especially those primarily concerned with controlling inhalation and exhalation, should be sought. Participation in active sports will also be useful. Going for a walk is very good. For those experiencing restricted breathing at night, morning exercises should be actively pursued.

The effects of shallow Breathing

• Reduced vitality, since oxygen is essential for the production of energy in the body.

• Susceptibility to diseases. Our resistance to disease is reduced since oxygen is essential for healthy cells. This means we catch more colds and develop other ailments more

easily.

• With our “normal” sedentary way of living, we only use about one tenth of our total lung capacity. This is sufficient to survive and just tick over, but not sufficient for a high

vitality level, long life and high resistance to disease.

• Poor oxygen supply affects all parts of the body. When an acute circulation blockage deprives the heart of oxygen, this will result to heart attack while a stroke is the result

of poor oxygen supply in the brain.

• Scientists have known for a long time that there exists a strong connection between respiration and mental states. Oxygen is a “joy drug”. Improper breathing produces

diminished mental ability. The outcome is true also. It is known that mental tensions produce restricted breathing.

• Some research made regarding various heart diseases and cancer due to lack of oxygen supply in the body. For a long time, lack of oxygen has been considered a major

cause of cancer. Even way back as 1947, a study showed that when oxygen was withdrawn, normal body cells could turn into cancer cells. Similar research has been done

with heart disease. It showed that lack of oxygen is a major cause of heart disease, stroke and cancer.

• Modern science agrees with the ancient yogis on the subject of shallow breathing. An editorial in the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine suggested that fast, shallow